tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post7916175023805438147..comments2016-12-09T08:25:17.341-05:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: THURSDAY, Jun. 25 — Spirited cries / Red remover maybe / Hinged pair of pictures / Craggy crest / Tee followerRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger103125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-2001474670366823822009-06-26T23:54:42.687-04:002009-06-26T23:54:42.687-04:00@Orange: I&#39;m with you on this. I guess. To a p...@Orange: I&#39;m with you on this. I guess. To a point. For example, I no longer commentnon on Jim Horne&#39;s blog, because there is no action, though I still read it because he is intelligent and insightful. Otherbthan that, I must admit, I have somehow steered clear, generally, of blogs.XMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05537129206516720012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-18404853594176927772009-06-26T21:24:38.315-04:002009-06-26T21:24:38.315-04:00There are political blogs where it&#39;s not unusu...There are political blogs where it&#39;s not unusual to see 500 or 1,000 comments on a single post. Sure, I like attention, but that ceases to be conversation. That sort of volume turns into hundreds of people saying their piece but not necessarily having any sort of dialogue.<br /><br />It seems that about 99% of a day&#39;s readers of a blog post merely lurk rather than commenting. The way I figure, a lot of people approach blogs much like magazines—you read &#39;em, you extract a little information or entertainment, and you move on. Me, I like to interact at every blog I read—if I&#39;m not engaged enough to comment, I&#39;m not interested enough to read. Different strokes, etc.Orangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12433254398377357737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-13755074851382740002009-06-26T07:39:05.134-04:002009-06-26T07:39:05.134-04:00Cory: Many of us (very much including myself) reso...Cory: Many of us (very much including myself) resort to one or all of the modes of (ahem) magnification you mention. Cheating? Well, yes.XMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05537129206516720012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-59727526168532347342009-06-26T02:55:10.443-04:002009-06-26T02:55:10.443-04:00Sorry if this is a stupid question, I am VERY new ...Sorry if this is a stupid question, I am VERY new to crossword puzzling (just trying to finish my first, which is a NYT Sunday puzzle--maybe this is stupid to do this one first). What is considered &quot;cheating&quot;? Are crowwsord dictionaries okay, encyclopedias, Wikipedia?<br /><br />Happy puzzlingCoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06699779000786572540noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-62276794908998851722009-06-26T00:09:35.566-04:002009-06-26T00:09:35.566-04:00I read you, XMAN!
Actually, I always read the lat...I read you, XMAN! <br />Actually, I always read the late, late night comments first thing in the morning, and many of us do this.machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06794371617847975218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-82168866152503398662009-06-26T00:04:48.403-04:002009-06-26T00:04:48.403-04:00Many times I am lost in the cliquing and claquing ...Many times I am lost in the cliquing and claquing that goes on here, but I know that all in all new voices (like mine) are heard and responded to. As to people who comment without reading previous comments (which I will do when I feel something is hot), they will soon feel silly when they see they are either not responded to or are directed to previous posts.<br /><br />I can only hope this is being read by someone, since it is so late.XMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05537129206516720012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-43260225727623170982009-06-25T23:54:12.548-04:002009-06-25T23:54:12.548-04:00@Edith B - I got to the fracas a bit late, and am ...@Edith B - I got to the fracas a bit late, and am glad the tempest is back in the teapot. I too thoroughly enjoy your posts, and am glad things have been cleared up. <br /><br />The blog wouldn&#39;t be the same without your 2 cents!!hazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04627015904603641109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-33939893698158788712009-06-25T23:47:51.437-04:002009-06-25T23:47:51.437-04:00OK I guess we can all be friends now.
What a relie...OK I guess we can all be friends now.<br />What a relief. I mean it. <br />SoniaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-76636001246272557362009-06-25T23:44:05.486-04:002009-06-25T23:44:05.486-04:00Puzzle, puzzle, always puzzle. All of us are a pu...Puzzle, puzzle, always puzzle. All of us are a puzzle, aren&#39;t we?<br />Can you imagine the scenario: everyone who reads this blog posted a comment every day?!Lisa in Kingstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15793732995251623365noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-30931162713987231912009-06-25T23:42:52.773-04:002009-06-25T23:42:52.773-04:00@Rex:
Good for you to get back to Edith. I have t...@Rex: <br />Good for you to get back to Edith. I have to say, though, that I think it is the friendly banter between the regulars that pulls in the new commenters. Some of them have actually said that, here and at the LAT Confidential site. We even welcome them by name! Harsh criticism will scare them off.machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06794371617847975218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-18981474244399229412009-06-25T23:36:38.563-04:002009-06-25T23:36:38.563-04:00Loved the puzzle and the people who share their th...Loved the puzzle and the people who share their thoughts here.<br /><br />Idiotic is a pretty &#39;hot&#39; word that sometimes expresses an emotional rather than a logical view. I decided to read the definition before I posted this and have convinced myself it was inappropriate as used above. In essence calling someone an idiot is different than saying there action/words are idiocy, I realize. I can&#39;t see how the expression sufficiently argues against or invalidates the postulated &quot;dark side.&quot; I am almost always a lurker unless science and medicine or Chinese culture are mentioned, but I do know that the body of comments from edithb clearly reflect an intelligent and reflective person. Idiocy just rings wrong to me in almost any case, but its usage here almost approaches the definition of the word. <br /><br />Three this month and out. <br /><br />/meeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-29188783184001011642009-06-25T23:30:55.242-04:002009-06-25T23:30:55.242-04:00Yes, all hail me. I like that.
Yeesh, the slight...Yes, all hail me. I like that. <br /><br />Yeesh, the slightest rebuke and it&#39;s martyrdom all around. <br /><br />Of course your post is still there, edith b. I gave up deleting during the Nixon administration, when I realized it was only making matters worse, not better. (except spam or outright profane belligerence ... that would probably get deleted)<br /><br />edith, you do go on, but I love you. The comment you made about ... what was it, something about how (re: pop culture clues) &quot;we have become our parents&quot; ... I think I have that right ... that made me want to cheer. I apologize for &quot;idiotic&quot; (directed at your comment, not your person, but still...). I want more voices here. Lots of smart, interesting solvers are put off by the apparently closed, cliquish quality of the comments section. Way, way more people read than participate, and that&#39;s a disappointment to me. I wish more of you understood and respected that. That&#39;s really where I&#39;m coming from when I step in in any way in this forum. <br /><br />So please try to balance friendly conversation and digression (often entertaining) with an understanding that it&#39;s a *public* forum. And I&#39;d appreciate anything you could do to be welcoming, not discouraging, of new voices.<br /><br />And Puzzle. Puzzle. Always Puzzle. Thanks, rpRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-28205310965232708432009-06-25T23:26:09.009-04:002009-06-25T23:26:09.009-04:00Not to change the subject, but I forgot to mention...Not to change the subject, but I forgot to mention something that the diptych reminded me of: There&#39;s a great show on at the Metropolitan Museum of Francis Bacon&#39;s works. He did dip- and triptychs, beautiful pieces. We discussed him last year on this blog, I seem to remember. So when in NY......machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06794371617847975218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-60118746031714333492009-06-25T23:10:25.231-04:002009-06-25T23:10:25.231-04:00@ mac, You&#39;re right. I think what I meant to s...@ mac, You&#39;re right. I think what I meant to say was that I hate to dilute what I mean to say for fear of offending everything and everyone. If we try to please all of the people all of the time our words lose their meaning. I don&#39;t want to sound like I&#39;m running for office.<br />I truly loving reading and joining in here but am surprised by the comments that are dissected on occasion. (See, there I am being wishy-washy when I usually would be more straightforward.)<br />Perhaps I should just revert to reading without commenting. It&#39;s just not my style.Two Ponieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06896743444873087885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-31757763068194395702009-06-25T22:53:09.958-04:002009-06-25T22:53:09.958-04:00@Two Ponies:
I have been reading all the comments...@Two Ponies: <br />I have been reading all the comments later this evening, but I don&#39;t understand what you mean in your last sentence. Culture of political correctness? Please explain.machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06794371617847975218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-65129929741595138992009-06-25T22:52:13.626-04:002009-06-25T22:52:13.626-04:00I get to post after driving 700 kilometres for my ...I get to post after driving 700 kilometres for my wifes dental appointment. Clever puzzle. It took a little while but I got it without help.<br /><br /> Michael Jackson is a sad, sad story. Take that any way you will.<br /><br /> I took the &lt; as meaning &quot;less&quot; or &quot;less than&quot; as in Mathematics (&lt; is &quot;less&quot; and &gt; is &quot;more&quot; In any case, it worked.<br />Thanks BZ and RP.mccollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504650421550088556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-38181132586057513912009-06-25T22:46:00.783-04:002009-06-25T22:46:00.783-04:00All hail Rex and Orange, we are not worthy! We are...All hail Rex and Orange, we are not worthy! We are not worthy!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-36114103357983033362009-06-25T22:43:09.095-04:002009-06-25T22:43:09.095-04:00@ edithb, I know how you feel because I was the ta...@ edithb, I know how you feel because I was the target once of name-calling. Do not disappear. This community needs a variety of voices.<br />I also post with some anxiety of censure but please do not let the culture of political correctness keep you from expressing yourself.Two Ponieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06896743444873087885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-19068078830944945002009-06-25T22:35:55.778-04:002009-06-25T22:35:55.778-04:00@ edithb, Please do not let Rex and Orange intimid...@ edithb, Please do not let Rex and Orange intimidate you. Not only are you articulate and civil but you are right.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-20299699184489213272009-06-25T22:31:52.840-04:002009-06-25T22:31:52.840-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.edith bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12048817959846956992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-68277852590610229362009-06-25T22:31:51.987-04:002009-06-25T22:31:51.987-04:00Geez, when I join a new community I need to unders...Geez, when I join a new community I need to understand the etiqutte of the group I am joining. In this case, I try to stay within the &quot;three and out&quot; rule, I was chastised for &quot;going on and on&quot; so I began to limit how long my posts were, I discovered that Rex did not care for Commenters commenting on other Commenters so I have tried not to be too critical of others no matter how I feel on a subject. In other words I tried to learn how the host felt on certain matters and abide by how he felt.<br /><br />I didn&#39;t think two little words &quot;dark side&quot; would prompt this kind of attack from the two heavyweights of the blogging world. I would like to thank Ulrich for undertstanding what I was trying to say rather than launching an ad hominem attack on me, using words like &quot;idiotic&quot; to describe what I recognize as something very small, a dark side as it were, in an invitation to join into our discussion.<br /><br />Quite frankly, I feel like I have been &quot;slimed&quot; and understand how Hazel felt a month or so ago when she was misunderstood and attacked and how Evil Doug must have felt when he was accused of being a racist.<br /><br />Frankly, Rex, even though it is your blog, you should abide by your own standards and refrain from calling people &quot;idiotic&quot; when they disagree with you.<br /><br />If this post does not appear, I will recognize that I am no longer welcome to comment on your blog even though I enjoy the community and I truly love crossword puzzles.edith bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12048817959846956992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-7476891392192709892009-06-25T22:21:27.961-04:002009-06-25T22:21:27.961-04:00This week&#39;s numbers ... the number in parenthe...This week&#39;s numbers ... the number in parentheses is the number of solvers.<br /><br />Mon (all) 6:16 (905) prev 2 week avg: 6:58 (908)<br />Mon (Top 100) 3:25 prev 2 week avg: 3:43<br /><br />Tue (all) 9:03 (694) prev 2 week avg: 8:13 (877)<br />Tue (Top 100) 4:35 prev 2 week avg: 4:12<br /><br />Wed (all) 17:19 (574) prev 2 week avg: 13:18 (674)<br />Wed (Top 100) 7:54 prev 2 week avg: 6:30<br /><br />Thu (all) 15:16 (657) prev 2 week avg: 14:40 (631)<br />Thu (Top 100) 7:02 prev 2 week avg: 6:53<br /><br />By all measures other than my own solve time, this week&#39;s Thursday was tougher than Wednesday. For my part, it took me forever to pick up on the theme and I continue to struggle with the danged online user interface skipping boxes that are already filled.<br /><br />My two cents on the newbie discussion ... I don&#39;t always read every post, but if I come here looking for a specific answer, I always hit Ctrl-F and search for a relevant string before posing a question. Quite frankly, I don&#39;t see the big deal in spending an extra 3 seconds reading a post with a question that&#39;s already been answered. After all, we&#39;re really just sort of killing time anyways, aren&#39;t we?sanfranman59http://www.blogger.com/profile/15118732156312301425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-52573581076289534312009-06-25T22:09:33.302-04:002009-06-25T22:09:33.302-04:00Puh-leeze, meta-comments about what is supposed to...Puh-leeze, meta-comments about what is supposed to be crossword comments ? Get back to the puzzle !<br />Blog etiquette ? Get back to the puzzle!Raulnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-86739225294514143622009-06-25T21:47:33.340-04:002009-06-25T21:47:33.340-04:00@Rex and Orange: I think you mistake Edithb&#39;s...@Rex and Orange: I think you mistake Edithb&#39;s meaning. All I believe she is asserting is that with the influx of new commentators there are bound to be some breaches of blog etiquette among the uninitiated. Perhaps &quot;dark side&quot; was not the best choice of words, but I know what she is getting at.<br /><br />I don&#39;t think she is talking &quot;smack about newbies&quot; or asserting that &quot;the great uninitiated unwashed are a problem.&quot; I think she is asking that we all respect each other and the blog itself. Having read her remarks for the better part of a year, I find her to be the very model of respectful intelligence and courtesy toward her fellow commentators as well as her hosts. It is inconceivable that she would make the kind of sweeping generalizations you imply. Given her her track record of graciousness, I think you owe her the benefit of the doubt on this one.Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10412634072650228847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-49369691410924304672009-06-25T21:37:37.131-04:002009-06-25T21:37:37.131-04:00Speaking as a newbie who was an ancient lurker fiv...Speaking as a newbie who was an ancient lurker five weeks back---and strangely still lurks in the present, for the most part:<br />After my initial mini set-to with Rex (cuz I had no idea how I came across in the Comments), I became much more reticent to post. Not blaming anyone here but myself: my self-censure switch is in the permanent ON position (I think, let me check). OK, so what I&#39;m getting at is there&#39;s tons of people who don&#39;t get the Rex Parker Culture. Like Orange said, cut them some slack.<br />Rex, is it still OK to plop in the random aside? I mean, some days, the puzzle is just boring... oops that censure switch slipped!Lisa in Kingstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15793732995251623365noreply@blogger.com